Multi-can package



Jan. 24, 1967 R. A. FULLER 3,300,041

MULTI CAN PACKAGE Filed D80. 10, 1965 INVENTOR. RAY A. FULLER BY wmmm ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,300,041 MULTI-CAN PACKAGE Ray A. Fuller, 2776 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ. 07306 Filed Dec. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 512,957 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates to a multi-can package. More particularly it relates to a container carrier used in the beverage and food field.

In the beverage and food field, the practice of stocking comestibles, etc., is to provide cartons or wrappers which act as carriers for cylindrical containers or cans. In the use of the wrappers which are made usually of stiff cardboard the cans are bound so tightly in the wrappers that in many cases it is difficult to extract one or more cans without injuring ones fingers in the process. As a result, the tendency has been to provide container holders which will not be too rigid to prevent extraction of the cans therefrom.

With the above in view, I have provided a multi-can package carrier of simple and effective construction, wherein the cans are readily separable one from another for individual handling and use.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simply made, compact carrier for cylindrical or square containers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carrier device for beverage and food containers or cans which can be readily separated into component parts for selectively separating one or more of the containers.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a combination holder and can carrier for a multiplicity of cans, which cans are readily separable one from the other.

A specific object of my invention is to provide a carrier package comprising a plurality of containers adhered to a base of relatively strong and stiff material and which is provided with perforations to permit individual separation from the base.

Other objects and features of my invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of part of a preferred embodiment of my invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the combination showing a preferred embodiment of my invention,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion separated from the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts throughout, it will be noted that I provide a carrier which is made of suitable fiber cellulosic, carton or stiff cardboard suitably treated to render the same relatively rigid to bending or deformation. Said carrier may be prepared in the usual manner of preparing relatively stiff board material and subsequently treated to render the same impermeable. Said carrier, it will be further noted is provided with one or more citcular, integral depressions 11 which when viewed in section appear cup or saucer like. In describing one depression 11 the same is applicable to as many as there are in the carrier. The depressions are circular or circumferential in formation 12 and are of substantially the same size as the inner circumference of the upstanding annular beads 13 about the upper and lower ends of a can 14, so that the depression 11 'readily fits on top of the insert portion 15 of the top of can 14. Said depressions 11 may be formed of any size to fit in the depression or insert portion 15 of the top of a can 14, by means of punch ice press devices commonly used in forming different units in the art.

The carrier 10 may be of any suitable dimensions .depending on the number and size of the cans to be attached thereto. In the present instance a carrier is shown adapted to hold a pack of six cans. This is only for illustrative purposes. Said carrier 10 is provided also with a series of perforations 16, one 17 running lengthwise and the others 18 running crosswise of the carrier.

In the carrier shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 there are provided openings 19 preferably oval shaped in which for example the index fingers and thumb of the purchaser can be readily inserted for carrying the formed pack-agqwhile at the same time acting as a cushion and adding strength to that part of carrier where the perforations would intersect.

The cup or depressed portions 11 of said carrier are of such curvature for easy attachment to the top of cans 14 by means of a glue 20 or other suitable adhesive, whereby the cans can readily be carried when purchased in packs. The type of glue used will be of sufiicient tenacity and strength so as to hold the can and carrier solidly together, despite the weight of the can and its contents. It has been found that a glue commonly known as Weldwood has been found very effective in forming a compact combined unit between a portion of the carrier and the top of a can as shown herein. Other types of glue or cement have also been found effective for the purpose herein intended.

The carrier 10 and cans 14 are so well stuck together that there is little likelihood of them becoming loose or falling apart. Each can can be removed with part of the carrier covering the same and then opened at its other end for consumption of the contents. Furthermore, the carrier can combination are so well glued together that they can be readily stacked one above the other in piles and readily moved about for storage.

The combination of carrier 10 and can 14 may be made to carry two cans, three cans or multiples thereof arranged in any suitable way, preferably in rectangular or oblong formation, or in triangular formation. Such cans can be readily stacked and carried by hand with a minimum of effort.

It will be further noted that in accordance with my invention, I may use a metal or suitable plastic of sufficient durability as a base carrier, and that the cans may be fiat topped, i.e. without a depression which can be secured to the carrier 10. For example, the invention would be applicable to jam jars provided with fiat tops which can be easily removed by rotating the same free from the container. Furthermore, it may be desirable that the base carrier with the separable portions may have on the portion facing the top of the containers, a plurality of properly disposed, depending clips which would accommodate the periphery of the containers and thereby hold the same to the carrier.

With respect to the part of the carrier attached to the can when removed from the rest of the carrier, the same acts as a coaster when the can is inverted and opened for consumption of the contents, such as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings.

While preferred embodiments of my invention have been described and illustrated, it is to be noted that modification as to use and arrangement of materials may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

A holder for a plurality of similar cylindrical cans, each of which is provided with a depressed fiat top within an annular bead disposed about the upper end thereof, said holder being adapted to secure said cans together in spaced parallel longitudinally and transversely extending rows and comprising; athin flat sheet of relatively stiff material; a plurality of similar saucer shaped depressions which are formed in said sheet and are arranged in spaced parallel longitudinally and transversely ext-ending rows, said depressions being adapted to be seated within the beads about the upper ends of said cans with the bottom surface of said depressions in engagement with the flat tops of said cans and the bottom surface of said sheet between said depressions in contact with the upper edge of said beads; the bottom surface of said depressions being provided with a strong adhesive by which the tops of said cans are securely bonded to the bottom surface of said depressions; said sheet being provided with a longitudinally extending perforated score line between contiguous longitudinal rows of depressions and transversely extending perforated score lines between contiguous transversely extending rows of depressions whereby individual sections of said sheet may be separated from said sheet together with a can secured thereto and used as a coaster for the said can secured thereto; and a pair of longitudinally spaced apertures in said sheet one of which is disposed at the intersections of said longitudinally ext-ending score line and one of said transversely extending score lines and the other of which is disposed at the intersection of said longitudinally extending score line and another of said transversely extending score lines, said apertures constituting finger grips for carrying the plurality of cans secured to said sheet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,694,488 11/1954 Crane 20665 2,913,105 11/1959 Brunsing 20665 3,202,448 8/1965 Stern et a1 20665 3,224,575 12/ 1965 Whiteford 20665 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

W. T. DIXSON, Assistant Examiner. 

